Shelf bracket assembly



Jan. 19, 1965 L. o. DOWNES SHELF BRACKET ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 10, 1962 INVENTOR. Leo/10rd O. DOW/785 BY W =7 A TTORNEYS Patented Jan. .19, 1965 3,166,285; SHELF ERAKIKET ASSEMBLY Leonard 0. Downes, 4077 2nd St, Wayne, Mich. Filed Sept. 10, 1%2, Ser. No. 222,294

6 Claims. (till. 248-445) The present invention relates to shelf bracket assemblies and more particularly to such an assembly adapted for use with new partition. and framing'systems which have been-described in my copending applications.

June 8, 1 962 disclosesunique framing members and my copending application Serial No. 201,021, 'filed June 8,

btates 1'0 My copending application Serial No. 201,032, filed 1962 discloses a framing system utilizing these members. 7

My copending applications Ser', Nos. 201,024 and 201,019, both filed June 8, 1962 disclose partition systems adapted for use with the aforesaid framing system. My copending applications Serial No. 222,296, filed Sept. 10, 1962 and Ser. No. 227,376, filed Oct. 1, 1962 disclose a door fram- 'Lng system and an electrical futture mounting system respectively, adapted for use with these framing and'partition systems. The shelf bracket assembly of the present invention is designed for use with these and other compatible systems.

Certain advantages of these systems have been described in the aforementioned copending applications. These include capability of being readily assembled and disassembled with a minimum of tools by relatively unskilled workmen. The present shelf bracket has been developed with these advantages in mind.

Further the shelf bracket assembly of the present invention has been constructed to provide the necessary support for ashelf with a minimum number of connecting elements, hidden and recessed, so that shelving assembled using the shelf bracket assembly of the present invention provide a clean, modern and finished appearance.

An object of the present invention is to provide finished appearing and'anchitecturally acceptable shelving by providing a shelf bracket assembly having hidden and recessed connecting elements. 7

Another object of the present invention is to increase the utility and versatility. of shelving by providing a shelf bracket selectively capable of carrying a shelf in two different angular positions with respect to the framing memher and which can be' carried in any desired vertical position with respect to the framing member.

Yet another object of the present invention is to reduce the cost of shelf assemblies by providing an improved shelf bracket constructed of as ingle strip' of material.

Other objects and advantages of the present'invention will readily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which FIG. 1 is a top elevational view of a shelf bracket assembly of the present invention taken partly in section for purposes of clarity.

' FIG. 2 is a 'view taken substantially at line 22 of I FIG. 1. 7

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective end view of a shelf bracket of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an elevational end view of the shelf bracket shown in FIG. 3.

PEG. 5 is a top elevational view of the shelf bracket shown in FIG. 4 but illustrating the bracket before bending. V FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the shown in FIG. 5.

FIG, 7 is a cross sectional view taken substantially at line'77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken substantially at line 3-8 of FIG. 6.

. FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view taken substantially at line 9-9 of FIG. 6, and V 7 FIG. 10 is a side elevational View illustrating the shelf bracket being used. in an inverted position.

Now referring to the drawings for a more detailed description of the present invention a preferred shelf bracket assembly is illustrated in FIGS. 1-2 as comprising a framing member 10 and a shelf bracket 11. I

The preferred framing member 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 10 comprises in cross section an H-shaped central portion 12 having a medial web 13 with oppositely extending pairs of legs 14. The end of each leg 14 is angled substantially radially outwardly with respect to a central point P of the web 13, so that the angled parts lie in planes intersecting to form substantially an X.

Each of the extreme ends of the legs 14 has a pair of radially spaced parallel flanges 14A and 14B extending from each side toward and in common planes with similar flanges 14A and 14B of the adjacent legs 14, so that the inner and outer planes respectively common to the outer flanges intersect to form inner and outer concentric rectangular figures, so that the section has the exterior appearance broadly of a rectangular member with fiat outer faces having a longitudinally extending recess 15 in each face.

Although a particular framing member 10 has been described it will be apparent that other framing members may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. Other suitable framing members are disclosed and described in my copending applications Ser. No. 201,032 and Scr. No. 201,021. Each of these has a longitudinally extending recess and a pair of parallel flanges on each side of the recess and therefore could be used equally as well with the shelf bracket 11 of the present invention.

T he shelf bracket llas illustrated is preferably formed from a single elongated strip of suitable material bent and locked to the form' of a right triangle. As shown in FIG. 5, laterally extending slots 16 and arcuate slots 17 are spaced respectively from each end of the strip and in essence divide the strip into three portions 18A, 18B, and lbC, defining the three sides of the right triangle to be formed. Longitudinaily extending flanges 1 9 are formed in the portion 18C by bending the edges of the strip downwardly from the arcuate slots 17 to the end of the structure strip. The flanges 19 provide a means of strengthening the shelf bracket 11 as well as providing a means of concealing the screws 20 used to secure a shelf to the sisaass i The portion 18A is provided with a pair of forat'ions 25 which provide a means in combination with screws 26 and nut elements 27 for securing the shelf bracket 11 to the framing member 10 as will be described in more detail hereinbelow.

The area of portion 18A near the slots 16 is strengthened by compressive forming of grooves 8 as shown.

The free end of the portion 18C is provided with a flanged tab portion 28 which locks with a slot 29A provided in a flanged portion 29 disposed on the free'end of the strip portion 18A as can best be seen in FIGS. 3-4.

In assembling the shelf bracket 11, the slots 16 and 17 permit the strip to be readily bent in the form of a right triangle. The tab portion 28 is snapped into slot 29A of the portion 29 to retain the shelf bracket 11 inthis form. The longitudinally extending flanges 19 of the portion 18C bear against the surface of the portion NA as can best be seen in FIG. 2, with the flanges of the portion 29 engaging under the flanges 19, to help retain the'br-acket 11 in the locked position.

The shelf bracket 11 is then ready for ,use in either the position illustrated in FIG. 2 or in the inverted position illustratedin FIG. 10. If it is desired to use the bracket 11 in the position illustrated in FIG. 2 the nut spaced "perelement 27 is positioned behind the inner flanges 14A of the framing member 10 and the screw 26 is used to secure the portion 18A of the bracket 11 to the framing member 10. The inner flanges 14A of the framing member 10 are preferably closer together than the outer flanges 14B and the bracket 11 is contructed of a width that will permit the portion 18A to pass between the outer flanges 14B and seat on the inner flanges 14A. The tab portion 28 is of a width to fit between the inner flanges 14A to thereby resist rotation of the bracket 11. A shelf 210 is then secured to the portion 18B by any means such as screws 24.

The shelf bracket 11 may also be used in the inverted position as illustrated in FIG. 10 when it is desired to provide a sloping shelf 11% The screw 26 and nut 27 are then used in the uppermost hole 25 of the portion 18A.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that a simplified shelf bracket has been described which can be readily assembled with a minimum of tools and which provides a strong support for carrying a shelf in either of two positions. The method of securing the bracket to the framing member permits the shelf to be carried in any desired position along the length of the framing member and permits the shelf to be readily adjusted to a new position. Further, the connecting elements are hidden from view so that a clean, modern, finished looking shelf assembly is provided.

Although I have described but a single embodiment of the present invention, it is also apparent that other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: V 1. A shelf bracket adapted to be carried by a framing member having a longitudinally extending slot, said bracket comprising,

(a) an elongated strip, (b) said strip being provided with laterally extending slots dividing said strip into three portions,

(0) said strip being bent at each of said slots to form a right triangle, (d) one end of said strip being provided with a flange portion,

(e) the portion of said strip provided with said end flange portion being provided with a pair of longitudinally extending parallel flanges, (f) the other end of said strip being provided with a slotted flange portion receiving said first mentioned flange portion whereby said strip may be locked in the form of a right triangle, and

(g) said longitudinally extending flanges bearing against said portion of said strip having said slotted flange portion whereby to retain said strip in the locked position.

v 2. In combination, a framing member and a shelf bracket, 7

(a) said framing member having a longitudinal recess,

(b) each side of said recess having a pair of spaced panallel flanges extending toward and in common planes with the pair of flanges on the other side of said recess,

(c) the innermost pair of said flanges being spaced closer together than the outermost pair of said flanges,

(d) said shelf bracket comprising an elongated strip,

said strip being provided with laterally extending slots dividing said strip into three portions,

said strip being bent at each of said slots toform a right triangle, 7

one end of said strip being provided with a flange portion, v

the portion of said strip provided with said end flange portion being provided with a pair of longitudinally extending flanges,

the other end of said strip being provided With a slotted flange portion receiving said first mentioned flange portion whereby said strip may be locked inthe form of a right triangle, and

said longitudinally extending flanges bearing against said portion of said strip having said slotted flange portion whereby to retain said strip in the locked position,

(e) one of said portions of said shelf bracket being dimensioned to pass between said outermost pair of flanges and to engage said innermost pair of flanges of said framing member,

(f) connecting means securing said shelf bracket to said innermost pair of flanges.

3. The combination as defined in claim 2 and in which said connecting means comprises (a) a nut member carried inwardly ofsaid innermost pair of flanges, and

(b) a screw carried by said shelf bracket and received by said nut member.

4. The combination as defined in claim 2 and in which said shelf bracket further comprises (a) said strip being bent in the form of a right triangle,

(b) one of the legs of the right triangle engaging said innermost pair of flanges of said framing member,

(0) the other leg and the hypotenuse of the right triangle being'selectively adapted to carry a shelf.

5. A shelf bracket adapted to be carried by a framing member, said bracket comprising (a) an elongated strip,

(b) said strip being provided with laterally extending slots dividing said strip into three portions, '(c) said strip being bent at each of 'said slots to form a right triangle, v (d) one endof said strip being provided with a flange portion,

(e) the other end of said strip being provided with a flange portion and a slot receiving said first mentioned flange portion whereby said shelf bracket may be locked in the form of a right triangle.

6. A shelf bracket adapted to be carried by a framing member and comprising I (a) an elongated strip,

. (b) said strip being bent at two longitudinally spaced points to form a right triangle,

(0) one end of said strip being provided with a transversely extending end surface, a longitudinally extending lower surface and a reduced flange portion extending angularly outwardly from said end surface,

(d) the other end of said strip being provided with a 5 6 slot receiving said flange portion whereby said second 1,083,763 Smedberg Ian. 6, 1914 mentioned end is retained intermediate said end sur- 1,231,000 Crist June 26, 1917 face and said flange portion, 2,429,586 Rompre Oct. 21, 1947 (e) said second mentioned end also being provided 2,600,748 Fox Iune17, 1952 with a flange portion engaging said lower surface of 5 2,940,718 Beal June 14, 1960 said first mentioned end to resist separation of said 2,990,037 Fowles June 27, 1961 ends. 1 3,043,642 Nelson July 10, 1962 References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 797,496

Great Britain July 2, 1958 891,968 Allen June 30, 1908 ,1 

2. IN COMBINATION, A FRAMING MEMBER AND A SHELF BRACKET, (A) SAID FRAMING MEMBER HAVING A LONGITUDINAL RECESS, (B) EACH SIDE OF SAID RECESS HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL FLANGES EXTENDING TOWARD AND IN COMMON PLANES WITH THE PAIR OF FLANGES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID RECESS, (C) THE INNERMOST PAIR OF SAID FLANGES BEING SPACED CLOSER TOGETHER THAN THE OUTERMOST PAIR OF SAID FLANGES, (D) SAID SHELF BRACKET COMPRISING AN ELONGATED STRIP, SAID STRIP BEING PROVIDED WITH LATERALLY EXTENDING SLOTS DIVIDING SAID STRIP INTO THREE PORTIONS, SAID STRIP BEING BENT AT EACH OF SAID SLOTS TO FORM A RIGHT TRIANGLE, ONE END OF SAID STRIP BEING PROVIDED WITH A FLANGE PORTION, THE PORTION OF SAID STRIP PROVIDED WITH SAID END FLANGE PORTION BEING PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FLANGES, 